


His Harmless Best Friend

by sorryididntaskbeforei



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: After Steve rescues Bucky from hydra, Captain America: The First Avenger, M/M, One Shot, first fic, not too long, small angst, turned to fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1882407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorryididntaskbeforei/pseuds/sorryididntaskbeforei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve just rescued the 107th from hydra and while Bucky is happy Steve is alive, he is less than happy about some things and a secret comes to light. </p><p>My first published fic. Please be nice and I like comments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Harmless Best Friend

"Let's hear it for Captain America!" Bucky exclaimed in support of his best friend. Applause followed. No surprise there. Why should there be? He single-handedly invaded Hydra and rescued the 107th. 

But in his newly broadened shoulders and battered star-spangled costume, Bucky still had no problem seeing the two bony fists trying to look tough when their positions were a broken hand waiting to happen, the guppy amongst sharks waiting to enlist with a plethora of medical conditions that could kill him on the battle field, the kid who always kept trying to enlist, undaunted in his effort by the 4F that always came back, and most importantly, his harmless best friend. 

And yet, it was obvious that that wasn't who he was anymore. Not really. It was selfish, but nothing changed that he was less than pleased at what they did to him. 

Later when everyone else was busy, Steve headed over to Bucky's tent and saw him sitting alone towards the back, one leg stretched out, the other propped up so his arm could rest on his knee. His expression was unfocused until he noticed Steve. He nodded to acknowledge his presence. 

"Can I sit?" Steve asked unsure if Bucky needed to be alone. 

"Yeah," he replied. He scooted to give Steve more room to sit on his right hand side. He let him settle down before lightly punching his shoulder. "That's a good look for you. How'd you get it?"

"Oh you know. A formula meant to turn skinny guys into super soldiers."

"So nothing out of the ordinary then?"

"Not at all."

Bucky laughed. He was still trying not to look at him. He didn't fail to notice. 

"Buck, what's wrong?" He asked. "You've hardly looked at me since I walked in."

"Nothing to worry about," he answered, although it wasn't enough to be convincing. 

"Is it this?" Steve asked, gesturing to himself. 

"You know," he chuckled. "I still remember all those times we were out on the street and you would try to fend off dirtbags catcalling women. You probably would've walked them back home safely if you weren't bleeding Niagara Falls out of your nose."

"Bucky"

He was nearly breaking into a smile. "No, I'm serious, you would've just jumped in and saved the day if he tried to pull something like tha-"

"Bucky, I'm still the same guy. I haven't changed just cause I've got a new body."

His face went back to being stolid. "Alright. You got me. I'm upset. But that's not what upsets me. I'm happy you've gotten rid of the health conditions. "

"Alright what is it then?"

"You're a goddamn saint Steve!" He looked back to face him almost like he was trying to lecture him. "You- you weren't the healthiest son of a gun but you had a heart and you were safe and now I've gotta see you in the last place I ever wanted you to be!"

Steve furrowed his brow in at first confusion, but then it quickly twisted into controlled anger. "I'm in the army. I tried enlisting more times than I can count and I made it in. Not only that, but I've been promoted. Aren't you happy for me?"

Bucky sharply turned his head away and looked down. "You shouldn't have done that. "

"I shouldn't have been doing any less than you were! I wasn't supposed to let you enlist on your own was I?!"

His voice cracked as he pounded his fist on his thigh and yelled "Goddamn it, Steve, I DIDNT ENLIST! OKAY? I WAS DRAFTED!"

Bucky thought about what he just said and, when he came to, he pulled his knees to his chest and hid his face in shame. He didn't want Steve to know that. 

He gaped in astonishment. That was baffling to say the least. "What?" he asked in confusion. 

Bucky let tears stream down his face and looked back at Steve with red-rimmed eyes. "I sent you out of our apartment for a reason and I'm glad I did. When Roosevelt read 158, I didn't know what to do. I would've told you the truth, but you were so persistent, talking about the honor of enlisting, and I couldn't bear the thought of disappointing you. I thought that even if you did try following me, you were always gonna keep that 4F. It's the only thing that let me sleep at night-"

"You didn't want me around."

"I WOULD RATHER BE DAMNED TO HELL THAN SEE YOU DIE IN THE BATTLEFIELD!" he sobbed. "THAN SEE YOU GO BACK HOME WITH THE NIGHTMARES, THE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS, OR IN A BODY BAG. ABS AND A SPANGLY OUT FIT DON'T CHANGE A THING"

Steve had seen Bucky frustrated whenever he tried fighting someone who could've snapped in half if he wanted, but he was never this hysterical. 

"I- you always wanna do good. I wanted that too. You were my harmless best friend and they turned you into a machine for war. I know you haven't changed on the inside, but you have to go through hell now too. Some of these other guys, they're going back to their wives. I was going back to you. You're what I have."

That moment was the perfect time to patch a hole that had been there forever. The two of them were alone and Bucky didn't know if they would get another opportunity like this again. 

In a moment that could disappear as quickly as it came, he said the one thing he never had the guts to. 

"I love you."

Steve didn't immediately react. He sat there, unsure of if he meant it the way he hoped he did. 

"I shouldn't've said that." He hurriedly tried to lift himself up to distance himself from Steve. "I'm sorry I shouldn't've - "

He wasn't even halfway up when Steve leaned over and pulled him down to kiss him. He almost regretted it until Bucky tenderly returned the kiss. For so long, he had slept with women and liked it, but nothing could've settled his need to just softly touch his nose and lips to Steve's.

He leaned back down, put one leg on either side of Steve, pulled out of the kiss, and softly stroked the side of his cheek with his hand. 

"I promise you," Steve said, looking into his eyes with concern. "I won't die and I'm not gonna let you die either. Not on my watch."

"Well you aren't allowed to die, cause if you do, I'll kill you"

Neither of them were in the mood to go any farther, but they were never closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! In case you were wondering, yes, it is canon sort of. Every soldier from New York that enlisted had a serial number that began with 12. Every soldier from New York who was drafted had a serial number that began with 32. Bucky mumbles his serial number, 32557, when he's strapped to the table in the rescue mission. Sorry to ruin your day.


End file.
